Hah! Monte Carlo had a fantastic 2011 courtesy of Gilbert...

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Bianchi-Campagnolo

And Norway have just got douze points in the latest team ski jumping world cup as well. Face it chaps, Biathlon and ski jumping are the cyclists best friend in the close season. Nice early dominance by Blighty in the first two cycling events as well. It won't last, and Wiggo looks distinctly off form as well.

Two things to say about that: first cyclists are going to be more prone to infections than most people. They spend a lot of time operating at the limits of what their bodies are capable of, which is bound to have an effect on the immune system, and then they travel a lot.

Second, they may or may not have access to more advanced diagnostic medicine than you or I, but they're certainly much more likely to actually use it. If you had a virus that made you feel a bit weak would go straight to a doctor? Would you even notice?

I think the Hushovd thing was a cover. Its odd that such untraceable virus' make their way into the systems of riders and then magically the virus is gone and they have 100w more power. Same goes with Froome.

Sure, intense training can lower your immune system, but lets not pretend that somehow Senior Hushovd and his highly structured personal care regimen (like all pros, he eats, sleeps and breathes cycling) somehow make him weaker than Joe American that drinks 4 Miller Lites with dinner, rarely has a transfat free meal, has enough blood sugar to feed a developing country, and hasn't exercised since Clinton's first term. Sounds like an excuse for poor form. Doesn't mean its doping, but people have bad years.

I personally find Hushovd one of the most boring people ever on and off the bike, but after meeting him he was a very nice and down-to-earth person, which is so rare in professional sports. I will always respect him for that.

i dont know enough about thor to like him or not, but in one interview in the thor de france, when asked if he had to dig deep to stay with cadel and contador, he said something to the effect like "oh yea, it was hard, but i did my own rhythm and hit em with the big ring".... i like that.

In earlier times Hushovd had a tendency to come across a bit whining in Norwegian media. Not so the last few years. I guess both the Norwegian media and Hushovd himself have matured.

He also came across rock solid in the media frenzy after USADA's USPS exposure and the subsequent downfall of Steffen Kjærgaard.

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Bianchi-Campagnolo

Hi. I believe that Froome suffered from schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection more common in Africa and across the Middle East. This doesn't seem too unusual considering he was raised in both Kenya and South Africa.

My take on these down years is this: when you've been cycling at as high a level as the pro's, for as long as the pro's, eventually you can just hit a wall. We've all been through it, and we get over it in a month or two. Sometimes a bit longer, sometimes a bit shorter. Their wall is just much thicker than ours.

But eh, what do I know? I just love me some Thor.

I don't doubt there's an enormous amount we don't understand about viruses, bacteria, parasites, symbiosis, infection, etc, and that these things can have an effect on our well being, and that such things as antibiotics, GMO foods, pesticides, and the widespread distribution of synthetic chemicals throughout the food chain, etc, can have a factor. The thing which surprises me is how the "mystery viruses" get diagnosed and treated. The truth is untraceable diagnoses have been used as a cover for other factors in the past. It would be unfair to implicate Thor or anyone else based on this, however. But I know I'd have zero chance of being diagnosed with a mystery, untestable virus from any doctor I see (I have a very low opinion of US medicine, however).

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http://djconnel.blogspot.com/
Fuji SL/1
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Actually, now I'm quite sure I have a mistery virus, as I'm a good 100Watts down on what I should be producing.
There might be some truth in it. I mean how would I know if I already had a virus before I picked up cycling 20 years ago?

There may be something to this I think. I have in the past taken a year where I did not compete nearly as much as in previous years, and I always come back better the next year. Could be more related to stress and getting adequate rest.

HUMP

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Why are the best things in life always the ones you start last?

Womp-womp.

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Exp001

They really need to get that internal battery finished.

that looks like a recipe for a broken neck if it gets caught in a wheel...